The present invention relates to a door unlocking device or system to be used as an add-on to a door latch mechanism. The door unlocking system engages the latching bolt of the door latch mechanism and retracting it thereby opening the door. The latching bolt then automatically returns to extended door locking position when the handle is released.
Door locking devices are known for locking doors and are quite common. One specific subclass of door unlocking devices which has come into use is door locking devices which automatically relock themselves after the door has been opened. These devices are especially useful for apartment buildings and other places which are open to many people, but not to the general public.
In these devices it is known to provide a pivoted push plate which, when pushed, retracts the latching bolt and opens the door from the inside of a building. From the outside, a separate key inserted in a lock barrel is used to unlock the door. This simultaneously requires the use of one hand to keep the key turned 180 degrees in the lock barrel to engage the latching bolt in the unlocked position, and the use of the other hand to open the door by pulling a handle. This known system may be difficult to use by disabled or handicapped people, as well as the elderly or people carrying parcels and the like in their hands.
Therefore in one aspect the invention provides for A door unlocking system for use with a door combination comprising a door, a door enclosure border, and a door locking means,
said door being displaceable between an open and a closed position,
said door locking means comprising a lock barrel means, a female element and a latch bolt means comprising a male member,
said lock barrel means being displaceable between an inactive configuration and an active configuration,
said door comprising said latch bolt means,
said door enclosure border comprising said female element,
said male member and said female element being disposed and configured such that said male member is displaceable between an extended position wherein said female element is able to receive the male member for locking said door in said closed position and a retracted position wherein said male member is retracted from said female member so that said door is displaceable from said closed position to said open position,
said latch bolt means comprising bolt biassing means for biassing the male member in said extended position,
the door unlocking system comprising:
a door grasping means displaceable between a first non-working position and a second actuation position,
door grasp biassing means biassing the door grasping means in said first non-working position,
pusher means operatively connected to said door grasping means;
an intermediate engagement means;
a reset biassing means;
a retractor means operatively connected to the intermediate engagement means;
retractor biassing means;
connector means for operatively connecting said lock barrel means to said intermediate engagement means; and
connector biassing means; and
connector retaining means;
said retractor means being displaceable between a first retractor position and a second retractor position such that
when the retractor means is displaced from said first retractor position to said second retractor position the retractor means engages the latch bolt means and urges the displacement of the male member from said extended position to said retracted position, and
when the retractor means is displaced from said second retractor position to said first retractor position the retractor means disengages the male member such that the bolt biassing means displaces the male member to said extended position;
said retractor biassing means biassing the retractor means in said first retractor position;
said intermediate engagement means being displaceable between
a first engagement position,
wherein the pusher means is able to engage the intermediate engagement means such that said intermediate engagement means may be urged thereby to induce the retractor means to be displaced from
said first retractor position to said second retractor position,
and
a second neutral position
wherein the pusher means is unable to engage the intermediate engagement means;
said reset biassing means biassing the intermediate engagement means in the second neutral position;
said connector retaining means being displaceable between a retaining position and a non-retaining position;
said connector means
being displaceable between an engagement configuration in which the connector means engages and retains the intermediate engagement means in said first engagement position, and a disengagement configuration wherein the intermediate engagement means is in said second neutral position,
being configured, such that when said lock barrel means is displaced from the inactive configuration to the active configuration, the connector means is
induced to displace from said disengagement configuration to said engagement configuration, such that the intermediate engagement means is displaced from said second neutral position to said first engagement position, and
said connector retaining means is induced to displace from said non-retaining position to said retaining position;
said connector retaining means being disposed such that when the connector retaining means is in said retaining position the connector retaining means retains the connector means in said engagement configuration, and such that when the connector retaining means is in said non-retaining position the connector means is free to return to said disengagement configuration;
said connector means, said door grasping means, said pusher means, and said retractor means being disposed and configured such that:
(A) when said connector means is in said engagement configuration and said door grasp means passes from said first non-working position to said second actuation position the pusher means engages said intermediate engagement means in said first engagement position so as to induce the connector retaining means to be displaced from said retaining position to said non-retaining and so as to induce the intermediate engagement means to displace the retractor means from said first retractor position to said second retractor position, and
(B) when said door grasp means passes from said second actuation position to said first non-working position, the pusher means disengages the intermediate engagement means such that said reset biassing means urges said intermediate engagement means to reset to said second neutral position, thereby allowing the retractor means to return to said first retractor position.
In accordance with the present invention the connector retaining means may comprise a step on the connector means, a guide means, and a biassing means;
said step, guide means, and biassing means being disposed such that:
said biassing means gives the connector means such a bias that when the connector means is displaced from said disengagement configuration to said engagement configuration, the step is caused to move under the guide means such that the connector means cannot return to the disengagement configuration; and
when said connector means is in said engagement configuration and said door grasp means passes from said first non-working position to said second actuation position the pusher means engages said intermediate engagement means in said first engagement position so as to induce the step to move out from the guide means such that the connector means may return to the disengagement configuration.
In accordance with the present invention the function of the connector biassing means may be performed by the reset biassing means.
In another aspect the present invention provides a door unlocking device or system for use with a door combination comprising a door, a door enclosure border (eg. door frame), and a door locking means,
said door being displaceable (e.g. pivotable) between an open and a closed position,
said door locking means comprising a lock barrel means, a female element and a latch bolt means comprising a male member,
said lock barrel means being displaceable (eg. rotatable) between an inactive configuration and an active configuration,
said door comprising said latch bolt means,
said door enclosure border comprising said female element,
said male member and said female element being disposed and configured such that said male member is displaceable between an extended position wherein said female element is able to receive the male member for locking said door in said closed position and a retracted position wherein said male member is retracted from said female member so that said door is displaceable from said closed position to said open position,
said latch bolt means comprising bolt biassing means for biassing the male member in said extended position,
the door unlocking system or device comprising:
a door grasping means (eg. handle, knob, etc.) displaceable between a first non-working position and a second actuation position,
door grasp biassing means biassing the door grasping means in said first non-working position,
pusher means operatively connected to said door grasping means;
an intermediate engagement means;
system biassing means comprising a first biassing component, a second biassing component, and a third biassing component;
a retractor means operatively connected to the intermediate engagement means;
connector means operatively connected to said lock barrel means; and
connector retaining means displaceable between a retaining position and a non-retaining position;
said retractor means being displaceable between a first retractor position and a second retractor position such that
when the retractor means is displaced from said first retractor position to said second retractor position the retractor means engages the latch bolt means and urges the displacement of the male member from said extended position to said retracted position, and
when the retractor means is displaced from said second retractor position to said first retractor position the retractor means disengages the male member such that the bolt biassing means displaces the male member to said extended position;
said intermediate engagement means being displaceable between
a first engagement position,
wherein the pusher means is able to engage the intermediate engagement means such that said intermediate engagement means may be urged thereby to induce the retractor means to be displaced from said first retractor position to said second retractor position,
and
a second neutral position
wherein the pusher means is unable to engage the intermediate engagement means;
said first biassing component biassing the intermediate engagement means in the second neutral position;
said retractor means and said intermediate engagement means being disposed and configured such that when the intermediate engagement means is in said second neutral position the retractor means is in said first retractor position, and such that when the intermediate engagement means is in said first engagement position the retractor means is in said second retractor position;
said connector means
being displaceable between an engagement configuration wherein the connector means engages and retains the intermediate engagement means in said first engagement position, and a disengagement configuration wherein the intermediate engagement means is in said second neutral position,
said connector means being configured, such that when said lock barrel means is displaced from the inactive configuration to the active configuration, the lock barrel means displaces the connector means from said disengagement configuration to said engagement configuration, such that the intermediate engagement means induced to be displaced from said second neutral position to said first engagement position, and
said connector retaining means is induced to displace from said non-retaining position to said retaining position by said second biassing component; said third biassing component biassing said connector means in said disengagement position; said connector retaining means being disposed such that when the connector retaining means is in said retaining position the connector retaining means retains the connector means in said engagement configuration, and such that when the connector retaining means is in said non-retaining position the connector means is caused to return to said disengagement configuration by said third biassing component;
said connector means, said door grasping means, said pusher means, and said retractor means being disposed and configured such that:
(A) when said connector means is in said engagement configuration and said door grasp means passes from said first non-working position to said second actuation position the pusher means engages said intermediate engagement means in said first engagement position so as to induce the connector retaining means to be displaced from said retaining position to said non-retaining and so as to induce the intermediate engagement means to displace the retractor means from said first retractor position to said second retractor position, and
(B) when said door grasp means passes from said second actuation position to said first non-working position, the pusher means disengages the intermediate engagement means such that said first biassing component urges said intermediate engagement means to reset to said second neutral position, and said retractor means to reset to said first retractor position.
In accordance with the invention the door grasping means may be a handle means.
A system in accordance with the invention may further comprise:
a solenoid means;
said solenoid means comprising a plunger member operatively connected to said intermediate engagement means, said solenoid means being energizable (eg. electrically) such that when the solenoid means is in an energized state the plunger member is in a retracted position, and when the solenoid means is in a non-energized state the plunger member is in an extended position, said plunger member when said solenoid means is in said non-energized state being biassed to said extended position by a solenoid biassing means, said plunger member being disposed so as to induce displacement of said intermediate engagement means such that said intermediate engagement means may be urged thereby to induce the displacement of the male member from said extended position to said retracted position when the solenoid means changes from said non-energized state to said energized state.
A system in accordance with the invention may further comprise:
a solenoid means;
said solenoid means comprising a plunger member, said solenoid means being energizable (eg. electrically) such that when the solenoid means is in an energized state the plunger member is in a retracted position, and when the solenoid means is in a non-energized state the plunger member is in an extended position, said plunger member when said solenoid means is in said non-energized state being biassed to said extended position by a solenoid biassing means, said solenoid means being operatively connected to said connector means by said plunger member such that said connector means is configured for inducing displacement of said intermediate engagement means from said second neutral position to said first engagement position when said solenoid means changes from the non-energized configuration to the energized configuration.
The invention also allows for a system to further comprise:
a releaseable locking means;
said releasable locking means comprising a locked configuration in which the releasable locking means locks the intermediate engagement means in said first engagement position, and an unlocked configuration in which the releaseable locking means does not lock the intermediate engagement means;
said releaseable locking means, said door grasping means, said connector means, and said pusher means being disposed and configured such that
(a) when said lock barrel means is in said active configuration and the connector means is inducing displacement of said intermediate engagement means from said second neutral position to said first engagement position, the door grasping means can pass from said first non-working position to said second actuation position such that the pusher means engages said intermediate engagement means so and induces said releaseable locking means to be displaced from said unlocked configuration to said locked configuration; and
(b) when said intermediate engagement means is releaseably locked in said first engagement position by said releaseable locking means and said lock barrel means changes from said inactive configuration to said active configuration, said releaseable locking means is induced to be displaced from said locked position to said unlocked position such that said reset biassing means urges said intermediate engagement means to pass to said second neutral position.
In another embodiment a system may further comprise:
a solenoid means;
said solenoid means comprising a plunger member operatively connected to said intermediate engagement means, said solenoid means being energizable (eg. electrically) such that when the solenoid means is in an energized state the plunger member is in a retracted position, and when the solenoid means is in a non-energized state the plunger member is in an extended position, said plunger member when said solenoid means is in said non-energized state being biassed to said extended position by a solenoid biassing means, said plunger member being disposed so as to induce displacement of said intermediate engagement means such that said intermediate engagement means may be urged thereby to induce the displacement of the male member from said extended position to said retracted position when the solenoid means changes from said non-energized state to said energized state.
The present invention provides a door unlocking system which may have multiple advantages in that it may permit the door to be unlocked with one hand, the key to be retracted from the lock barrel and the door handle to be pulled to open the door, the door then automatically closing and relocking itself.
The system allows for the door unlocking system to be mounted on doors with small frames, the frames may for example be about 2 inches wide.
The system may be configured so as to permit door unlocking by a simple left or right quarter turn rotation of the locking key. The system may be configured to allow for the remote unlocking of the door by means of an internal plunger operated solenoid.
The system may, if desired, be adapted to existing door locking mechanisms using the existing lock barrel and keys. The system may be configured for rapid installation and to serve to reinforce the existing door locking mechanism. Properly configured only two screws may be necessary to install the system on the door.
The system may be configured to enable the key to be withdrawn from the lock barrel before the door is opened.
In accordance with the present invention a door equipped with a door unlocking system of the present invention may be unlocked with only one hand.
In accordance with the present invention a door equipped with a door unlocking system of the present invention may be set in an unlocked configuration where the door can be opened without a key until the door unlocking system is reset.
In accordance with the present invention a door equipped with a door unlocking system of the present invention may be opened through the use of an electrical signal (eg. with solenoid devices). The system may also be used in conjunction with automatic door opening devices.
Operating advantages of the present invention will become apparent by referring to the following description wherein example embodiments of the present invention are described.